Jim Davidson
During my 39 years of climbing, I have enjoyed adventures from Alaska to Argentina, from Bolivia to Tibet. I like rock, ice, alpine, and high-altitude climbing. Along with co-leading international expeditions, I’ve also taught hundreds of kids to climb indoors.
My most recent project was finishing my adventure memoir: The Next Everest – Surviving the Mountain’s Deadliest Day and Finding the Resilience to Climb Again. It shares the epic tale of how I was at Camp One on Mt. Everest when the massive 7.8 magnitude quake rocked Nepal in 2015. After escaping the mountain, I pitched in with recovery and then raised funds for rebuilding Nepal. In 2017, I returned to Nepal in 2017 and summited Everest during a spectacular sunrise. Along the way, I learned some hard-won lessons about facing change, challenge, and uncertainty.
Highlights:
- Hiking and climbing for 39 years (31 of them years in LOWAs)
- Worked as a hydrogeologist for 20 years
- Commended twice by US National Park Service for volunteering on remote rescues
- Barely survived a bad climbing accident and lost his climbing partner on Mt. Rainer
- Co-authored New York Times bestselling adventure memoir called The Ledge
Fun Fact:
Before climbing mountains for fun, I scaled high-voltage electrical towers for work. They painted 80 foot to 250 foot tall metal towers that supported live electrical lines carrying up to 230,000 volts. I did this work for Dad, and Mom was not happy!
What are you looking forward to?
I am looking forward to sharing my new book with climbers and armchair mountaineers alike. And, I’m anxious to get back into the Colorado Rocky Mountains regularly! Let’s get our trail fitness back, everyone – it's almost time to return to the great outdoors!
What’s an interesting trip/climb/expedition where you’ve taken your LOWAs?
On my 66-day trip to Everest, I wore only LOWAs and never had a blister. From casuals and all -terrain sport shoes, to trekking boots and 8,000 meter expedition boots, LOWA got me to the top and home again!